


Fire frights

by Ros3ll3



Category: Good Omens (TV)
Genre: Agnes Nutter's Prophecies, Angst, Angst and Feels, Angst with a Happy Ending, Canon Compliant, Established Relationship, Fire, Future Fic, Hopeful Ending, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Post-Canon, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-11
Updated: 2020-01-11
Packaged: 2021-02-27 14:41:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,490
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22208821
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ros3ll3/pseuds/Ros3ll3
Summary: Crowley has been deathly afraid of fire since the bookshop incident. He's kept it under control, that is, until Adam starts sending them candles as housewarming gifts, and things go up in flames. Swap gift for http://randomacts13.tumblr.com/
Relationships: Aziraphale & Crowley (Good Omens), Aziraphale/Crowley (Good Omens)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 33





	Fire frights

Crowley didn’t think Aziraphale had noticed. He’d done his best to hide it from him after all, and his angel seemed content in their new life together. This didn’t change the fact that Crowley had only given Aziraphale cottage listings that had newfangled heatpumps in them, and had ‘accidentally’ lost their box of candles in the move. He’d brought an electric oven for the cottage and insisted on cooking for Aziraphale ever since he’d set toast on fire. He didn’t think Aziraphale had noticed, but Crowley was going to near extreme lengths to keep flames out of their little safe haven. 

One bright sunny day, Aziraphale answered a knock at their door, reemerging with an average sized parcel which he set on the table.  
“Crowley dear, look! Adam sent us a housewarming gift!”  
Crowley emerged from the kitchen, carrying two steaming mugs of tea, one of which he passed to the gleeful angel.   
“Go ahead then, open it.” Crowley replied as he settled himself onto the plush little sofa and took a sip of his own drink.   
Aziraphale gently slit the tape on the box and popped open the lid. He grinned, holding up an ornamental snake and passing it to Crowley.   
“Oh that’s nea…” He froze at the same time Aziraphale went “Oh, look!” And pulled out a candle shaped like an angel.

Aziraphale looked back at Crowley who’d forced a smile on his face. He noticed that the snake was curled around a small platform.   
“That must be a candle holder then! What a sweet little gift from Adam, I’ll have to send him a thank you note” He beamed cheerfully. Aziraphale went to reach for the holder, still clutched by Crowley, but to his surprise, He bolted upright awkwardly.  
“Here, um, I’ll put these on the mantle for you Angel.” He snatched the candle from Aziraphale’s hand and rushed away, leaving Aziraphale slightly bewildered. 

It was slightly fortuitous for Crowley that Aziraphale remembered the peach tart waiting for him in the fridge, allowing him to glare at the candle as he perched it on its stand, mentally commanding it to never burn, or it will have hell to pay. Anyone who later looked at the candle would swear it had a slight backwards lean. 

It was almost exactly a week later that another knock at the door was heard, and yielded yet another box from Adam. Aziraphale was delighted all the same.   
“I guess we’re sending another thank you note to Adam, Dear” He chuckled as he plopped down beside Crowley who was weeding the back gardens in the bright sunlight, his longer hair pulled back to keep it out of his face. He didn’t pay much attention to what the angel was doing, until Aziraphale pulled out a long, bright blue candle with a grin. Crowley unwillingly dropped his trowel and stared at the candle in dismay. Two candles? That’s ridiculous! What did Adam think he was doing?

“Did… Did Adam leave a note?” He gulped.  
“Uhh” Aziraphale checked the box. “He didn’t, but this one is scented!” He sniffed at it deeply and grinned. “Blueberry!”  
Crowley forced a smile at his Angel as Aziraphale rose and trotted inside, an anxious Crowley following behind. He watched as Aziraphale placed it on the mantle beside last week’s ‘gift’ and cursed to himself as his angel used a miracle to light it. Crowley quickly countered it with a miracle of his own to extinguish the flame and gave the candle a glare enough to curdle milk. When it wouldn’t relight, Aziraphale cursed and busied himself with searching for a lighter or matches, neither of which he’d find in their little cottage, thanks to Crowley’s demonic intervention. 

The search was quickly forgotten when plied with tea. 

To Crowley’s dismay, he was the one to open the door to a somewhat startled postman, fist raised to knock on the door. He cursed to himself when he saw Adam’s name on the sender’s details and attempted to sneak out the door to deposit in in their rubbish bin, but Aziraphale entered and spotted the package, immediately brightening up at the prospect of another gift. He rather liked the human process of mail and Crowley was weak to his angel being excited. He sullenly turned on his heels and handed the box off to a gleaming Aziraphale, who tore into it and this time, pulled out a yellow, ginger scented candle. Crowley caught a whiff of it as he moved into the kitchen, and momentarily thought it to be be nice before shaking himself out of it and reminding himself that it was a damned candle. Maybe this time the angel would be content with just the smell of it this time, he thought hopefully. Unfortunately for him and his nerves, the angel had managed to light it and had turned his back on it, selecting a book from the nearby bookshelf. 

Panic rose in Crowley’s chest and he rushed over to blow it out. He made a desperate move to swipe the candles onto the floor before catching Aziraphale’s confused and annoyed expression, which froze him in his tracks.  
“Dear boy… What on earth are you doing?”  
“Uhhh” Crowley frantically searched the room for an answer. “A… BUTTERFLY! Yeah, a butterfly was, gonna, uhh, land in the wax! I couldn’t let that happen, so I blew it out!”  
There was silence for a moment as the angel cooly regarded the nervous demon.   
“That was a very sweet thing you did then” Aziraphale replied, ignoring the fact that the doors and windows were closed, and there was no butterfly in the room. 

That night, as he curled away from Aziraphale in bed, Crowley finally decided that something would have to be done about these infernal candles.

The next time Aziraphale wanted to visit his bookshop, Crowley offered to drive him into London. He’d called into Tadfield earlier in the week and found that not only had eight years passed since the near apocalypse, but Adam was in his second year of medical science at the University of London, aiming to become a doctor. Figures, Crowley thought. Madame Tracy was always telling Aziraphale that doctors always tell you what they think you need, not what you actually need. 

It didn’t take Crowley long on campus to pick up on Adam’s energy, and he followed it to a cafe on the edge of campus. Adam was alone, sipping on a coffee, and unsurprised to see the miffed demon stalking towards him.   
“Did you and Aziraphale enjoy my housewarming gifts?” He grinned. “Also, congratulations on finally making it official with him.”  
“Oh come on, skip the small talk. Why are you doing this to me?” Crowley growled.  
Adam sombered.  
“Ok, I’ll level with you. I know what you’re hiding from him. I saw it when you moved us during the apocalypse, before facing my father. Something very bad is going to happen if you don’t tell him, and face your fears Crowley.”  
“That’s bullshit!” Crowley spat through his teeth. “We have plenty of secrets. Why does a little insignificant secret like this matter? It’s nothing and it’d stay secret if YOU JUST LEFT IT ALONE.” He hissed harshly, but Adam was unaffected. 

“Crowley, Anathema came to me with this. One of the further prophecies of Agnes Nutter was about you and fire. You have to tell Aziraphale or you might lose him forever.”  
Crowley abruptly stood and sped out the door, practically running towards the Bently. 

When it was time for Crowley to pick up the angel, the black car was nowhere in sight, calls to his mobile phone went unanswered, and by the time he arrived home with a moderately cold bag of takeout Indian curry (One of Crowley’s favourites) the cottage was dark and unoccupied.

As Crowley swung open the door just as the sun was rising, he was greeted by fluffy white immediately obscuring his vision, and warm arms surrounding him in a tight, desperate hug.   
“Crowley! Where on Earth have you been? I’ve been worried sick!”  
Crowley looked down at the angel, halfheartedly returning the hug then extracting himself from the embrace.   
“Sorry Angel, I’m just tired. I’m gonna go to bed.” He sullenly left the room and Aziraphale was left standing in an open doorway, disappointment and tears in his eyes. It was then he noticed the absence of the candles on the mantle. 

Two days later, Crowley finally awoke from his nap. He yawned and stretched, relishing the warm sunlight streaming in through the window. He noticed music playing in the lounge and heard Aziraphale singing to himself as he moved around the house. A grin sprung to his face and he slid into the lounge to greet the angel…

Candles.

There were candles… everywhere.

Aziraphale had purchased over 50 candles and scattered them all over the lounge, so they took up every available space. The mantle, kitchen table, even his bookshelves. 

They were all lit and burning.

Burning.

Fire.

BURNING.

Aziraphale came up the hallway and saw Crowley frozen in the doorway to the lounge. He gently laid his hand on his shoulder.  
“You’re finally awake, my dear boy! I noticed our candles missing, so I…”  
He finally took notice of the deep brewing panic in Crowley’s eyes. Something clicked in Crowley’s head and he dropped, screaming. All at once, the flames grew, casting black soot marks on the ceiling and Aziraphale took a few steps, taken aback by Crowley’s sudden outburst. When his piercing cries finally cut through the angel’s confusion and surprise, he reached towards the demon to try to comfort him, but the resulting yell from the frantic demon threw Aziraphale through the wall into their bathroom. Crowley didn’t even recognise that this happened in his panic, nor took notice of the pool of blood surrounding Aziraphale’s head. He threw out one final explosive wail with the intensity to incinerate all the candles surrounding him, and he manifested his wings, taking off in a cloud of soot and roofing debris. 

When he returned two weeks later, Aziraphale was gone.

Crowley wasn't in a good place when he'd returned to their home, but that wasn't improved upon any by the absence of his angel. When he didn't return within the week, Crowley began to spiral. He scoured the entire London area, from Tadfielf to the bookshop. He called in on Anathema and Newt, and even Adam, but the former hadn't seen him since they were too busy with their newborn baby girl, and Adam was nowhere to be found. 

When Crowley realized that Aziraphale, his angel, the man he'd loved and lived for for a millennia, he was grief stricken and inconsolable. Day after day went by, with Crowley curled up in their bed, shut off from the world, a single thing plaguing his mind over and over again.

He's gone. I drove him away and he's never coming back for me. 

Eventually, he drifted off to sleep.

When Crowley awoke, light was shining through the gaps in the curtain, like barely an hour had passed. He stretched out, rubbed his nose and padded over to the window to draw the curtains. 

Thick ivy was now obscuring much of the window and he blinked in surprise. The fact that he must’ve been asleep for longer than he'd thought crossed his mind and he sprinted to the front door, needing a miracle to exit the stubbornly closed exit.

"How... How long have I been out?" Crowley muttered to himself, wide eyes staring at the completely overgrown cottage that his angel and him called their home.

Aziraphale. Aziraphale hadn't come back. Where had he gone? HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN? Crowley began to panic whilst dread set into the pit of his stomach. He ran back inside and picked up his cellphone, long flat. He gave it a glare that would curdle milk and the screen came to life immediately, the photo of his angel reading sending a painful pang through his chest. That was, until he saw the date and his heart stopped.

"30 years? 30 YEARS? HOW THE FUCK IS IT 2050 ALREADY?" He paused. "Where's Aziraphale been?" Crowley could feel himself spiraling into misery but he shook himself out of it. 

"Come on Crowley, you've gotta find Angel."

He snapped his fingers and with a miracle, he was dressed and ready to find and apologise to Aziraphale. He just hoped that he'd be forgiven eventually.

Crowley jumped into his Bentley and after an apology to her too, they were speeding in the direction of Soho. 

Tires screeched on pavement and he jumped out of the car ungracefully, nearly tripping on the concrete as he ran up the street, hoping to anyone who'd listen that the angel was there. He'd give anything to have him open that door with a wide, bright smile and an equally friendly greeting. Instead, Crowley was met with a familiar but unwelcome sight that struck fear into his very demonic being. 

Flames.

Flames, specifically, billowing out of the bookshops' windows, throwing thick black smoke into the dull sky above them. 

Crowley did as Crowley does, and panicked, frozen to the spot in terror. Unwelcome, unpleasant and traumatising memories flashed before his eyes, raw feelings brimming up to spill as he remembered thinking Aziraphale was gone. This time, as far as Crowley knew, he was gone.

He slumped to his knees, overwhelmed by feelings of hopelessness, loss and misery. Firefighters swarmed and marched around him, oblivious to his pain as they went about their jobs, as humans often do. Crowley could feel himself spiraling into despair but couldn't find the energy to break out of it, let alone exist anymore without Aziraphale. 

Suddenly, a commotion broke out amongst onlookers to the blaze. Cries of "There are children in there" filtered through to him and Crowley, through his hopeless haze, looked up to hear the pleading screams of young children in the upper story window. With a vague thought of 'Aziraphale always thought I was good' He manifested his wings and took off, crashing head first through the window. Despite having been in a fire before, and knowing the layout of the building, he found he couldn't see anything for the smoke and was struck by the acrid smell invading his nose. He wanted to run, to hide and never come out, but if he was never going to see Aziraphale again, he at least wanted to do one thing that would prove him right about the demon.

Crowley fought his way through the flames, ignoring the way it licked at his skin and made him sweat. He might be a snake but it was a tad too warm for him. He remembered he didn't need to breathe anymore and switched that off with a thought, and got to work.

It took him several minutes to realize he didn't recognize the layout of the building and that he couldn't locate the kids. He was miraculously unscathed but he feared for the children's safety and was determined to bring them to safety, even if it meant he was discorporated. 

He fixed the idea that Aziraphale loved children in his mind and kept searching.

Crowley finally picked up on feeble banging from a closed door and managed to burst through the door, finding two small children cuddled in a corner together, and an older one standing beside him, tears and terror in her face. He immediately scooped her up and transferred his flameproof miracle to the girl, doing the same for the two smaller boys.

He didn't care if he made it out alive.

Surveying the room, he found that out the window they'd been calling for help from was blocked by a burning ceiling beam and was impossible to get past, and the way he'd come had the floor almost completely burned out. 

Crowley tried getting the kids to run, but they didn't understand they were safe and clung to him in terror, hiding their faces from the fire and smoke.   
It was then that he did the most undemonlike thing and sat down, pulling them all into his lap and kissing them on the forehead, transferring the last of his energy into them, ensuring they'd be safe even after he'd been sent back to Hell and inevitably tortured for information on how he'd survived the holy water. It was a miserable thought but as he looked into the soot covered faces of the children, he saw how much the angel would've loved them and spoilt them if they'd been in his life. 

Crowley smiled at them, and told them they'd be ok, it'd all be ok, and they'd make it out alive. That was partly true in the end. He prepared to let the smoke and ash envelop him with a deep breath...

... And came back with the scent of butterscotch and books and candles. Looking up, he was met with kindly blue eyes and a pleasant smile that warmed him to the bone. The Angel was reaching for him from above, radiating holy light and cool calm that combated the burn of the fire and quelled the uncertainty of the soul. His powerful snow white wings wrapping protectively around the four.

"Az... Aziraphale? Aziraphale! It's you, it has to be you", he said both hopefully and desperate  
"My dear boy" Aziraphale beamed at him and gathered Crowley and the children in his arms and stretched his wings out, taking off with a powerful thrust, crashing through the blackened roof.   
The force propelled them up for a ways and as Crowley held the children tight, he watched the sun dance on the horizon, once again in his Angel's arms and again reminded of how powerful, beautiful and strong the man was. He looked up into the determined face of his lover and smiled when Aziraphale returned the look.

They touched down, and with a quick miracle, Aziraphale helped the onlookers have no questions about how they'd saved the children and another to remove their wings from their memories. After being checked over for injuries by paramedics (the Angel and the demon healing beforehand, and the children only having minor burns and smoke inhalation) 

After being released, the pair walked in awkward silence down the street, before Crowley spotted a small restaurant that must've been established during his sleep, and gestured slightly to the shop.  
"Uh, dinner? It's on me since you, y'know, saved me." He met Aziraphales' kindly eyes.  
"Of course my dear boy, it'd be my pleasure to join you" He picked up the demon's hand and entwined their fingers tightly before leading a red-faced Crowley into the warmth. 

"I'm sorry about your shop Angel, it sucks that it's been burned twice now." Crowley brought up after they'd ordered.  
Aziraphale looked perplexed.  
"My shop?" After a moment, he chuckled  
"No Crowley, my shop is a further block down, you were at the wrong address"  
Crowley deadpanned.  
"Oh my Go-Sa-whomever. I was at the wrong building." He rested his head on the table, embarrassed at his mistake. Aziraphale reached across and gently stroked his hair, threading his fingers through it lovingly.

After a moment of this, he sighed.  
"I missed you"  
Crowley flicked his eyes to the angel and gently sat up, holding their hands together on the table.   
"Aziraphale, I'm so sorry for what I did, I shouldn't have and Adam told me that I sho-"  
"Crowley, stop. It's okay. I left because I thought you needed space and something was bothering you. I thought you'd come to me when you were ready but I didn't expect you to need thirty years" He smiled sadly.  
"I... I slept the whole time" Crowley replied sheepishly, face blushing.  
"Wait." He continued "You don't know why I freaked out?" He exclaimed"  
"Uh, no?"   
"Aziraphale! Candles. Flames. Bookshop burning? Ring any bells?" He waved his hands about dramatically while the angel looked perplexed, before the realization hit him and he gasped.   
"Oh, and I brought and lit all those candles! Oh my dear boy, I'm so sorry!"   
"No, Angel, I'm sorry, Adam told me I needed to tell you about the fire thing or something would happen and I guess it did." He chuckled with his head in his hands, one still holding Aziraphales'. 

They sat there in comfortable silence for a while, enjoying each other's company for the first time in what felt like forever for the pair. When their food came out from the kitchen, they decided to share a toast.

"To us" Crowley grinned.  
"To us" Aziraphale replied. "And to being open"  
"Hear hear!"

And as they found themselves sitting on a park bench in St James' park, quietly listening to the river flowing, stars peacefully twinkling overhead, the demon looked over to his angel and said something he never thought he'd ever say in his existence.

"Angel, I think I want kids."

**Author's Note:**

> Swap gift for http://randomacts13.tumblr.com/  
> I'm sorry it's so late!
> 
> Also thanks to my best friend QueenofCrazy with editing this piece, she's a lifesaver 🥰


End file.
